Bronchopulmonary Pharmacology of PAF-Acether

Abstract

Guinea pigs undergo BC when injected with direct smooth muscle stimulating substances (histamine, serotonin, acetylcholine) or with agents that trigger the release or the formation of endogenous mediators (stored histamine or serotonin, kinins, complement factors, arachidonate metabolites). A few mediators (bra-dykinin, histamine) act directly on smooth muscle and trigger as well the release of arachidonate, which is then converted into cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolites. Platelet-stimulating agents such as collagen (Vargaftig et al., 1979), ADP and ATP (Lefort and Vargaftig, 1978), and PAF-acether (Vargaftig et al., 1980a,b, 1981a) induce BC because they stimulate platelets to release bronchoactive substances and, accordingly, BC is suppressed by platelet depletion or protection with prostacyclin.